JULY 17, 1909.
word to " go," and with a shorter run that before M.
Bleriot at once flew up in the air. Toury was the next
place passed, and as M. Bleriot has been staying there,
and making therefrom many of his splendid flights, there
was naturally additional enthusiasm among those who had
got up early enough to witness his further prowess.
Passing Chateau Gaillard on the left, and leaving
Dambron on the right, Bleriot hove in sight of Artenay
and approached his goal as the wind freshened up from
the west. This caused the aviator to describe a semi-
circle in the air while he cleared the railway and the
telegraph wires before coming down to earth upon the
selected spot at Croix-Briquet-Cheville, which is about
13 kiloms. out of Orleans. In alighting somewhat
rapidly slight damage was done to one of the propellers.
Having started from Chicheny at 4.44 a.m. official
time, the landing took place at 5.40. a.m. The di-stance
is given at 41*2 kilometres, and the net time 44 mins.
In accomplishing his task, M. Bleriot has established
the right to receive 5,000 frs. as pilot, 4,000 frs. as con-
structor, while M. Anzani receives 3,000 frs. for having
made the engine, and M. Chauviere 2,000 frs. as builder
•of the propeller. Half of these sums will be paid over
as soon as the record trial has been certified, but the other
half will only be acquired if the performance is not
beaten before the 1st of January ,1910.
Having finished his journey, M. Bleriot without delay
proceeded to dismantle the machine, and having detached
the wings and tied them on to the main framework in
readiness for transport, he made arrangements for its
removal to Vichy, via Paris, in anticipation of the com-
petitions which take place there. In 35 mins. the flyer
was already on its way to the Bleriot establishment at
Neuilly, and by mid-day it had arrived there. And
there are those who say these machines are not portable.
M. Bleriot, who has thus accomplished the longest
cross-country flight, has performed an even greater
achievement in making such a successful attempt with
what can with some justice claim to be the smallest
practical flyer in existence. It is perhaps a little heavier
than the Curtiss biplane in America, but it is smaller.
M. Bleriot has always been a great advocate of
the monoplane principle, although among other machines
he has built a very large biplane. The flyer with which
he accomplished his present record is the smallest of his
series of monoplanes, and was one of the great attractions
at the Paris Salon, where it was not unusual to find
doubts expressed as to its capacity for flight at all.
THE MORRIS PARK MEETING.
The scene at Morris Park Race Track, New York, during
the aeronautical experiments arranged under the auspices
•of the American Aeronautic Society. The machine seen in
the picture is the Martin glider.
CONSIDERABLE success attended the meeting of the
American Aeronautic Society's flight exhibition in the
grounds of Morris Park, for although the actual flying
was confined to the exhibitions of Mr. Glenn H. Curtiss,
the fact remains that flight took place, and that visitors
turned up in their thousands to see the sport. As we
announced last week, Mr. Curtiss easily carried off the
prize offered for a flight of a kilometre in length. In fact,
he did far more than was necessary to fulfil any such
condition, and altogether succeeded in showing the
Aeronautic Society that they had every reason to suppose
they had secured a good thing in their latest acquisition,
for, as our readers know, they are to buy the Curtiss
flyer for the use of their members.
Of the other demonstrations which were given, the
most notable was that made by Mr. Martin on a motor-
towed glider. His experiments afforded one more example
of the foolhardiness of tests of this character, for we have
always maintained that there is little or nothing to be
learned through being towed behind a car in this manner,
and that a great deal of unnecessary risk attaches to the
operator. Merely regarded as a method of initial ascent,
the exigencies of the situation may doubtless justify the
means, but as a test in itself the towing of a glider behind
One of the events in connection with the American Aero-nautic Society's experiments was the testing of the Martin
glider by towing it into action behind a motor car. Themachine came to grief, and our picture shows the glider at
the critical moment. ,.,-..-•.
a car is absolutely inconclusive. The presence of the
tow-rope is a restriction on the operation of the machine,
and a menace to what natural stability it may possess.
Indeed the conditions do not represent the problems of
flight in the least. Mr. Martin at Morris Park was no
more successful than others have been before him at this
game, for he ended up his short and erratic aerial journey
by being pitched off his machine over a picket fence,
which the machine itself demolished.
Apart from the actual demonstrations, various devices
were on view for the inspection of visitors, and as there
was mostly sufficient wind, a certain amount of diversion
was created by kite-flying amongst the youngsters.
"Morning Post" National Airship Fund.
AT the time of going to press the National Fund,
started by the Morning Post, to present to the nation an
airship, is now well on the way to ^10,000. Among the
latest contributions by influential people are the Duke of
Bedford and Messrs. Rothschild and Co. All donations
should be sent to the National Airship Fund, Morning
Post Offices, 346, Strand, W.C.
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